In a significant development for institutional cryptocurrency access, 21Shares has officially launched the ASTX exchange-traded product (ETP), a pioneering financial instrument tracking Stacks (STX) with integrated, automated staking rewards. The product, announced by the Stacks ecosystem on social media platform X, simplifies exposure to Bitcoin's smart contract layer for traditional finance participants by eliminating the technical complexities of direct on-chain asset management.
The ASTX ETP provides a regulated, brokerage-account-friendly vehicle for investing in the Stacks protocol's native token, STX, and is designed to automatically reinvest staking rewards generated by the underlying assets. This automated mechanism removes the operational burden from investors, who would otherwise need to manage wallet security, node operation, and reward claiming directly on the blockchain. The Stacks protocol operates as a layer-1 blockchain that brings smart contracts and decentralized applications to Bitcoin through its Proof of Transfer (PoX) consensus mechanism, where STX holders can "stack" their tokens to earn Bitcoin as a reward.
Analysts highlight the product's design as a critical step for Bitcoin's layered ecosystem. "The automatic reinvestment of staking rewards is a key feature," notes a digital assets strategist. "It solves the yield leakage problem for institutions that lack the technical teams to manage on-chain staking cycles manually." The ETP is expected to list on regulated exchanges such as the SIX Swiss Exchange or Deutsche Börse Xetra.
In a parallel development for decentralized finance, Ondo Finance (ONDO) is preparing to launch over 200 tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the Solana (SOL) blockchain, according to a CoinDesk report. This expansion of Ondo Global Markets, announced in early 2025, marks a significant acceleration in bridging traditional capital markets with blockchain technology.
The move to Solana represents a strategic expansion beyond Ondo's existing infrastructure on Ethereum and BNB Chain, directly addressing user demands for lower transaction costs and faster settlement times. Each token will be backed 1:1 by the corresponding real-world security, held in custody by regulated entities, offering benefits including 24/7 market access, fractional ownership, enhanced liquidity, and global accessibility.
Solana's selection is based on its high throughput and low transaction fees, often processing thousands of transactions per second for a fraction of a cent, which is essential for supporting the high-frequency, micro-transaction environment of fractionalized stock trading. Industry analysts view this expansion as a logical progression in the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization trend, with regulatory compliance remaining a cornerstone of Ondo's approach within existing U.S. securities frameworks.
